Farm Crew Member in Bowdoinham, ME

Phils Farm LLC
Farm Jobs in MaineOrganic Farming Jobs

Job Description

We’re looking for a positive, energetic and hardworking person to join our farm crew!

Responsibilities

Farm Crew

  • Harvest a wide range of vegetables
  • Wash vegetables using dunk tanks, sprayers, salad greens spinner and a barrel root washer
  • Pack produce into bins and bags for the CSA and wholesale orders
  • Record harvests
  • Create soil blocks for seedlings
  • Plant seeds in the greenhouse
  • Pot up seedlings in greenhouse
  • Transplant seedlings on a tractor pulled water wheel transplanter
  • Cultivate beds with stirrup hoes
  • Install and remove row cover over beds
  • Prune and trellis tomatoes, peppers and eggplant in our 30×96 high tunnels
  • Pack the truck for CSA distribution
  • Drive the truck to and from the CSA
  • Unload, set up and run the CSA

Each farm crew member will be responsible for managing the greenhouse, irrigation or cultivation on the farm.

Greenhouse Management

  • Manage other farm crew members in the greenhouse to complete each week’s plantings
  • Keep records of planting dates, varieties, quantities, etc.
  • Water seedlings by hand and monitor the automated overhead irrigation
  • Monitor the health of the seedlings as they grow and report any issues
  • Ensure we have enough seed the week before each planting

Irrigation Management

  • Test soil moisture using a tensiometer to determine which fields need water
  • Turning irrigation lines on and off
  • Keeping records of irrigation
  • Moving irrigation lines with the help of other farm crew members
  • Fixing leaks

Cultivation Management

  • Learn how to drive the Farmall Cub and Farmall 140 cultivating tractors
  • Use both tractors to cultivate beds weekly
  • Change and modify cultivation tools on tractors
  • Identify which beds need cultivation each week
  • Lead farm crew when hand hoeing is necessary

Requirements

  • Be able to lift 50 lbs
  • Have a valid driver’s license
  • Be able to drive a pickup truck and a 16’ box truck

CSA

An important part of this job is running our CSA. 3 out of 4 weeks, you will help run our CSA at one of our locations- on the farm, Portland or Portsmouth,NH. The three full-season employees and Phil will rotate running the CSA with the opportunity for one of our interns to take your spot running the CSA at the farm.

Portland & Portsmouth. These CSA locations require you to drive a 16’ box truck to the location. Once there, someone will meet you to help unload and set up the CSA. They will also help with distribution and restocking as customers come through. After the CSA, you will return extra product to the farm and unload it back into our coolers. To keep your hours consistently at 40 hours/week, you will come in later on CSA days and leave later. On Portland and Portsmouth CSA days, you will come in at 1pm to pack the truck and then leave for the CSA. That day will end at 9pm. On the farm CSA days, you will come in at 10:30am and finish at 6:30pm

About Phil’s Farm

Phil’s Farm is a diversified organic vegetable farm that grows for a 275 small share CSA and wholesale accounts. Our mission is to provide our community with affordable food, grown in a manner that is good for the environment, the farmers and our customers. We strive to achieve our mission by doing the following:

  • Employing MOFGA organic practices
  • Reducing soil tillage
  • Focusing on cover crops and crop rotations
  • Minimizing water runoff
  • Reusing materials and minimizing waste
  • Paying employees fair wages
  • Providing paid time off
  • Prioritizing safety
  • Celebrating successes
  • Ergonomically designing in our tasks
  • Minimizing pesticide use
  • Connecting the farm and farmers to our customers
  • Harvesting food that is at its peak nutrition, quality and flavor
  • Striving to keep prices down to increase accessibility to a broad customer base

In 2023, there will be 3 full season employees and 1-2 interns from a nearby college. We limit working on any single tasks to 2 hours so the work stays fun and interesting. We listen to music, take ample breaks for food and water and enjoy our days outside, working the land!

Job Type

  • Full-time, seasonal from April 3rd – November 17th

Compensation & Perks

  • Starting pay at $17/hr with more available based on experience
  • 5 paid days off with one week’s notice
  • Opportunity to become a farm manager in your second season on the farm. Pay for managers starts at $21/hr
  • Medium share’s worth of vegetables each week during the CSA
  • Unlimited damaged and extra produce that is not for sale
  • Covered by worker’s compensation in the event of an injury at work

To Apply

Please email us a brief cover letter, two professional references and your resume.

Thank you for considering our farm and we look forward to reading your application!

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $17.00 per hour

Benefits:

  • Paid time off

Schedule:

  • 8 hour shift

Application Question(s):

  • Please explain why you are interested in working at Phil’s Farm and why you think you’d be a good fit.

Work Location: In person

Hiring Insights

Hiring 2 candidates for this role

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